Leadership and its transformations, requirements, and generational issues are phenomena that vary over time. We touched on some of these topics in articles about Communication in Leadership, the Need for Ethical Leadership, and New Generation Leadership. This article, however, focuses on the more popular term, vision.
To understand vision, it is crucial to have a good grasp of two main lines. When talking about unity of purpose, what the purpose or purposes are, and how their unity should be, become significant. On the other hand, the word "politics" covers a different dimension with a much broader scope. In this regard, many misused expressions such as vision and purpose appear in all kinds of sectors.
In its simplest terms, vision is the picture in our imagination and harbors motivation for the future. For this image to form in the mind, we must first exist, adopt the reason for our existence, and this leads us to create a general policy towards life. This policy essentially forms the general framework, and the image we create underneath it becomes our vision. But as beautiful as this vision may seem, it must be in harmony with our goals depending on life conditions. Otherwise, there will be a disconnect, leading to practical disappointments or demoralization, which most people experience.
However, even this comprehensive subject, which is deep and difficult, is expressed more simply today than it actually is. This leads to memorized applications and overlooks the real benefits.
Nevertheless, as a simple example; at the age of 17, a young person's character is mostly established, their logical-mind-emotional structure is matured, and they generally develop a perspective on life. A total political understanding, consisting of all these, would also be somewhat developed. Now, if we question the vision of a young person in this situation, answers like a. Living in space, b. Becoming a president, c. Getting rich, d. Becoming a civil servant may come up. None of these answers represent a vision. When our young person creates a vision that is suitable for their structure, in harmony with the conditions, ambitious but realistic, and motivating, then they have worked on a vision. For example, dreaming of becoming a pediatrician and helping people in underdeveloped countries can be a vision. However, to achieve this, they need to first graduate from medical school and gain sufficient experience. The actions they need to take for these purposes will be the planned actions.
Therefore, trying to fulfill the requirement of such an important and critical word as vision will naturally provide more benefits than casually using it like a chewed gum. When leaders master and skillfully create a vision according to the stages mentioned above, they achieve unity of purpose and can attain success. Otherwise, this word that sounds good will not go beyond being a hollow expression.
Have a vision, work systematically to achieve your vision, walk towards the right goals, but most importantly, do not forget who you are, or else the whole structure can collapse on you.
Dr. Bilinç Dolmacı
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